Appeal - Any advice welcome :-)

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Eirinn00
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue May 03, 2016 2:44 pm

Appeal - Any advice welcome :-)

Post by Eirinn00 »

My daughter didn't take the 11 plus last September when all her class friends did, she wasn't confident and we didn't want to push her. Since that time she fiercely regretted her decision. I was able to arrange for her to take the 11 plus in Feb of this year but due to lack of time the test date was set five days after I had made the request which didn't give us much time to prep!! My daughter didn't get to sit her practice papers like others did either. She was two marks off a pass. We have her appeal next week do we have a chance and should I bring this up?? ( I have already mentioned this in the supporting letter I wrote).

Also on the paperwork it states that 110 children made the required grade yet 115 places have been offered, could anyone tell me why this might be??

Many thanks in advance :?
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Appeal - Any advice welcome :-)

Post by Guest55 »

11+ exams aren't supposed to need prep so I'd avoid that point.

You need to show she is of GS ability - have you got reports or current levels ie 'above expected'?

Which area are you in?
Eirinn00
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue May 03, 2016 2:44 pm

Re: Appeal - Any advice welcome :-)

Post by Eirinn00 »

Guest55 wrote:11+ exams aren't supposed to need prep so I'd avoid that point.

You need to show she is of GS ability - have you got reports or current levels ie 'above expected'?

Which area are you in?
Many thanks for the reply, yes I realise that it shouldn't require prep however surely she was at a disadvantage if she didn't get to do the two practice papers that other children did (sent by the GS) ?

Yes I have submitted all of our evidence she is secure at the old curriculum levels of 5A.

We are in Lincolnshire.
Guest55
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Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Appeal - Any advice welcome :-)

Post by Guest55 »

If everyone normally is expected to do the practice papers then, yes, you could argue that.

In Bucks, in the old days [and for the old test], when people hadn't done the 'familiarisation' then 5 marks were added to the score to compensate.

Do the school reports make it clear she is 'well above average'? Will they give any predictions for the KS2 tests?
Eirinn00
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue May 03, 2016 2:44 pm

Re: Appeal - Any advice welcome :-)

Post by Eirinn00 »

Guest55 wrote:If everyone normally is expected to do the practice papers then, yes, you could argue that.

In Bucks, in the old days [and for the old test], when people hadn't done the 'familiarisation' then 5 marks were added to the score to compensate.

Do the school reports make it clear she is 'well above average'? Will they give any predictions for the KS2 tests?
It would make it a lot easier if they would add marks to compensate! I will make sure to mention the fact that she was the only one not to sit the practice papers.

The supporting letter the school sent to support the appeal stated the levels she is working at. Her head teacher and class teacher are attending the appeal with me to answer any academic questions so I hope that will help.

Many thanks for your help :)
Alex
Posts: 1097
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:10 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Appeal - Any advice welcome :-)

Post by Alex »

I would be inclined to concentrate on academic evidence and "mention but underplay" the lack of opportunity to do the practice papers. It is quite unusual to have two members of school to support you at appeal but hopefully that should mean panel members can get all the questions answered that they wish to ask. If your daughter is generally underconfident and school recognise this and it affects her performance under pressure and in exams it may be worth raising this. Are you facing oversubscription as well as non-qualification? If so you need also to be making points about why this school is right for your daughter.

It is probably too late now ask the question about offering more places than there are qualified children before the appeal but you can raise this in part one of the appeal if the representative of the school does not cover it in their presentation to the panel:
"Please could you explain why.....?" or
" I didn't understand what you said about...Could you explain it again please?"
Eirinn00
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue May 03, 2016 2:44 pm

Re: Appeal - Any advice welcome :-)

Post by Eirinn00 »

Alex wrote:I would be inclined to concentrate on academic evidence and "mention but underplay" the lack of opportunity to do the practice papers. It is quite unusual to have two members of school to support you at appeal but hopefully that should mean panel members can get all the questions answered that they wish to ask. If your daughter is generally underconfident and school recognise this and it affects her performance under pressure and in exams it may be worth raising this. Are you facing oversubscription as well as non-qualification? If so you need also to be making points about why this school is right for your daughter.

It is probably too late now ask the question about offering more places than there are qualified children before the appeal but you can raise this in part one of the appeal if the representative of the school does not cover it in their presentation to the panel:
"Please could you explain why.....?" or
" I didn't understand what you said about...Could you explain it again please?"
Many thanks for the post, I am researching the admissions policy as we speak which clearly states that any child wishing to take the 11 plus late should be offered the same tests so I feel it is quite an important point? Also that she sat them over two days where as her class friends sat them a week apart?

There are more appeals than places available so I am trying to gather as much information as I can whilst worrying myself silly. The school offer she has received does not have a sixth form which is very important to us but I don't know if that will carry much weight.

:shock: :shock:
quasimodo
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Re: Appeal - Any advice welcome :-)

Post by quasimodo »

Eirinn00 wrote: The school offer she has received does not have a sixth form which is very important to us but I don't know if that will carry much weight.
Pardon my ignorance why is this important ? Why do you say this may be an appeal point ? There are many areas where schools do not have sixth forms and some children go to sixth form colleges and others then go to other schools in different areas with sixth forms.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln
ToadMum
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Location: Essex

Re: Appeal - Any advice welcome :-)

Post by ToadMum »

quasimodo wrote:
Eirinn00 wrote: The school offer she has received does not have a sixth form which is very important to us but I don't know if that will carry much weight.
Pardon my ignorance why is this important ? Why do you say this may be an appeal point ? There are many areas where schools do not have sixth forms and some children go to sixth form colleges and others then go to other schools in different areas with sixth forms.
Two possibilities - not wanting DC to have to change schools at 16? Or a perception of teachers perhaps being less enthusiastic without sixth formers to teach? (I don't know whether this is still something that colours secondary teachers' attitudes - and even 'back in the day' it wasn't a 'thing' for my mum, who mainly taught Remedial English - but I know that our maths teacher only rather grudgingly taught anything below A level :shock: ). OP, is the allocated school one you hadn't put on your DD's CAF at all? Or are the grammar schools the only schools in your area with their own sixth form, so you didn't have the luxury of a school which fitted this particular criterion at the time of application?
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Eirinn00
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue May 03, 2016 2:44 pm

Re: Appeal - Any advice welcome :-)

Post by Eirinn00 »

ToadMum wrote:
quasimodo wrote:
Eirinn00 wrote: The school offer she has received does not have a sixth form which is very important to us but I don't know if that will carry much weight.
Pardon my ignorance why is this important ? Why do you say this may be an appeal point ? There are many areas where schools do not have sixth forms and some children go to sixth form colleges and others then go to other schools in different areas with sixth forms.
Two possibilities - not wanting DC to have to change schools at 16? Or a perception of teachers perhaps being less enthusiastic without sixth formers to teach? (I don't know whether this is still something that colours secondary teachers' attitudes - and even 'back in the day' it wasn't a 'thing' for my mum, who mainly taught Remedial English - but I know that our maths teacher only rather grudgingly taught anything below A level :shock: ). OP, is the allocated school one you hadn't put on your DD's CAF at all? Or are the grammar schools the only schools in your area with their own sixth form, so you didn't have the luxury of a school which fitted this particular criterion at the time of application?
The school that has been offered was our second choice school, it is the only other school where it is a safe walk to the bus. They only have 35 percent success rate of 5 A* - C grades compared to the GS of 98 percent and closer in distance. My confidence is dwindling the more posts I read. I thought I had a good case but am now not so sure!! :cry:
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